Bai Longma

He is the only character in the entire book who transforms from a "demon" into a "means of transportation." Across the hundred chapters of Journey to the West, Sun Wukong fought hundreds of battles, Zhu Bajie provided endless comic relief, Sha Wujing silently carried the luggage, and Tang Sanzang was responsible for being captured—while Bai Longma, the Third Prince of Ao Run, the East Sea Dragon King and once a royal rebel who set fire to the palace, had one job: to carry people. Day after day, from Chang'an to Lingshan, he carried Tang Sanzang across 108,000 li without speaking, without fighting, and without complaining. His total lines in the entire book likely do not exceed twenty, and his combat record consists of only a few sparse entries. Yet, he was the indispensable fifth member of the pilgrimage party. Upon the successful retrieval of the scriptures, he was bestowed the title of "Broad-Power Bodhisattva of the Eight-Fold Dragon"—a rank no lower than Zhu Bajie's "Altar-Cleansing Envoy" or Sha Wujing's "Golden-Body Arhat." This story of a dragon becoming a horse serves as the most poignant footnote in Journey to the West regarding "sacrifice," "silence," and "being seen."

The Sinful Dragon of Eagle-Sorrow Gorge: The Prince Who Burned the Pearl

The previous life of Bai Longma was that of the Third Prince of Ao Run, the East Sea Dragon King—the Little White Dragon. The crime he committed is stated clearly in the original text: he set fire to and destroyed the bright pearl of the palace. The "bright pearl of the palace" held a status in the Dragon Palace equivalent to the Heirloom Seal of the Realm in a human imperial palace—it was not merely a bead, but a symbol of the dragon race's authority. Burning the pearl was equivalent to setting fire to the center of the Old Dragon King's power, a grave act of filial impiety.

Regarding why the Little White Dragon burned the pearl, the original text is vague. A widely circulated version suggests he set the fire out of rage after seeing his father take a concubine or due to family disputes, but there is no direct textual support for this in the original—it is more likely an interpretation from later operas and folk tales. The original text simply states that he "set fire to the bright pearl of the palace," after which his father reported him to the Heavenly Palace, and the Jade Emperor sentenced him to death.

Before the death sentence could be carried out, Guanyin intervened to plead for mercy with the Jade Emperor. Guanyin's reasoning was that a fine horse was needed to carry Tang Sanzang on the pilgrimage, and a dragon transforming into a horse would be the most suitable choice. The Jade Emperor granted the request, and the Little White Dragon went from being a condemned prisoner to a "person on standby"—stationed in the deep pools of Eagle-Sorrow Gorge in the Snake-Coiled Mountains to await the passing of the pilgrims.

The name "Eagle-Sorrow Gorge" itself implies a hidden lethality—a ravine so treacherous that even eagles feel sorrow flying over it. The original text does not say how long the Little White Dragon waited there. However, based on the narrative, he must have waited for at least several months to several years—there was a considerable amount of time between Guanyin's travels through the Eastern Land to select the pilgrims and Tang Sanzang's actual arrival at the Snake-Coiled Mountains. During this period of waiting, the Little White Dragon existed as a "criminal in waiting": convicted and granted a reprieve, but with an uncertain future. He knew he was waiting for a monk, whom he would transform into a horse to carry to the West, but he did not know when this monk would arrive, what he would look like, or if he would even make it there alive.

Swallowing the Horse and Becoming the Horse: The Transition from Enemy to Mount

In Chapter 15, Tang Sanzang and Wukong arrive at Eagle-Sorrow Gorge in the Snake-Coiled Mountains. The white horse Tang Sanzang was riding went to the edge of the gorge to drink water, and suddenly, the Little White Dragon leaped from the deep pool and swallowed the white horse in one gulp. This is the only time in the entire book that Bai Longma appears in the guise of a "demon"—he ate Tang Sanzang's mount, infuriating Wukong, and the two fought by the gorge.

This battle is quite telling of the Little White Dragon's strength. After exchanging "several rounds" with Wukong, he could no longer hold his own and retreated into the deep pool, afraid to emerge. Wukong shouted and cursed from the shore, while the Little White Dragon hid in the water and did not respond. Wukong's abilities are diminished in the water—he himself noted, "If we were on land, I could have slain him without effort; but in the water, I am at a disadvantage"—yet even considering this factor, the Little White Dragon's combat power can only be considered "lower-middle." It was expected that he could not defeat Wukong; after all, one was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who had wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, and the other was a recently convicted waste prince of the dragon race.

During the stalemate, a messenger sent by Guanyin (some versions say a local Earth God or a Jiedi) informed Wukong that this dragon had been arranged by Guanyin specifically to wait here and transform into a white horse. Only then did Wukong understand, and he traveled to the South Sea to confirm this with Guanyin. Guanyin personally came to Eagle-Sorrow Gorge, removed the bright pearl from beneath the Little White Dragon's chin (some say she removed the dragon horns), and sprinkled nectar water from a willow branch. The Little White Dragon then transformed into a white horse identical to the original one.

This transformation is one of the most "irreversible" in the entire book. After Wukong donned the golden headband, he could still occasionally act wild; Bajie and Wujing retained their respective magical powers and transformation abilities after joining the pilgrimage—though they "turned toward the right path," they did not lose their sense of self. The Little White Dragon was different. After turning from a dragon into a horse, not only did his appearance change, but his entire mode of existence changed: he could not speak (horses do not speak), he could not participate in battle (Tang Sanzang sat upon him, so he could not run off at will), and he could not express any opinion or emotion. He was stripped of all draconic characteristics—flight, spitting water, transformation—retaining only the single function of "carrying things."

The Most Silent Member of the Book: The Narrative Dilemma of Bai Longma

Throughout the fourteen years of the pilgrimage, Bai Longma's presence was so low it was almost negligible. He had no lines (for the vast majority of the time), no psychological descriptions, and no interactions with the other members. Wukong had a temper to vent, Bajie had grievances to air, and Wujing would occasionally say a few words—Bai Longma had nothing. He was like a piece of equipment: mounted when needed, and tethered by the roadside when not.

This "silence" is a structural problem in the narrative. In the five-person pilgrimage team, four could speak, fight, and drive the plot forward; Bai Longma could not—because he was a horse. When Wu Cheng'en designed this character, he locked him into the role of a "means of transportation." This meant that no matter how much Wu Cheng'en wanted to give Bai Longma more screen time, he was limited by the basic framework of "what a horse can do." A horse cannot bicker with Wukong, argue with Bajie, or run to find reinforcements after Tang Sanzang is captured—all he can do is run and eat grass.

Yet, Wu Cheng'en still gave Bai Longma two rare "moments of glory."

The first occurs in Chapter 30, "Demons Invade the Righteous Law; the Mind Horse Recalls the Heart Ape." The Yellow-Robed Monster turned Tang Sanzang into a tiger; Wukong had previously been driven away by Tang Sanzang (after the three battles with the White Bone Demon), and Bajie and Wujing had been defeated or captured. The entire pilgrimage team had collapsed, leaving only Bai Longma. In the moment of crisis, he reverted to his dragon form and dove into the Wave-Moon Cave to launch a surprise attack on the Yellow-Robed Monster. Although he was outmatched—the Yellow-Robed Monster grabbed him by the hind leg and slammed him to the ground—he at least took action. This is the only time in the entire book that Bai Longma actively joined a battle, and the only time he drove the plot forward through his "own will." More importantly, he spoke in this chapter—he suggested to Bajie, "Go to Flower-Fruit Mountain and invite the Eldest Brother back." It was this suggestion that led to Wukong's return and the subsequent defeat of the Yellow-Robed Monster.

The second occurs in Chapter 69, "The Master of the Heart Prepares Medicine by Night; the Sovereign Discusses Demons at the Banquet." Wukong needed to prepare medicine for the King of Zhuzi, which required "horse urine" as a medicinal catalyst. Upon learning this, Bai Longma proactively provided a splash of "dragon urine" to serve as the catalyst—the medicinal efficacy of dragon urine and horse urine are, of course, incomparable. While this plot point is somewhat comical, it implies Bai Longma's active contribution to the pilgrimage: he was not merely a passive vehicle; within his limited means, he participated in the journey in his own way.

These two exceptions serve to highlight Bai Longma's daily silence. In the vast majority of the ninety-nine tribulations, he was a bystander—not because he did not want to help, but because his form dictated that he could not. In a world overrun by monsters, the things a horse can do are truly limited.

The Eight-Legion Heavenly Dragon Horse: The Final Reward of the Silent

In the 100th chapter, the pilgrimage party arrives at Lingshan, where Rulai Buddha grants rewards based on their merits. Sun Wukong is consecrated as the "Victorious Fighting Buddha," Tang Sanzang as the "Brahman Merit Buddha," Zhu Bajie as the "Altar-Cleansing Envoy," and Sha Wujing as a "Golden-Bodied Arhat"—while Bai Longma is consecrated as the "Eight-Legion Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva of Vast Power."

This title warrants a closer look. The "Eight Legions" is a collective term in Buddhism for the guardian deities, comprising the Devas, Nagas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, and Mahoragas—Bai Longma was granted a representative position among the "Nagas." Furthermore, "Bodhisattva of Vast Power" is a formal, high-ranking Bodhisattva title. If one considers "rank" alone, Bai Longma's status as a "Bodhisattva" is higher than Bajie's "Envoy" or Sha Wujing's "Arhat"—which seems disproportionate for a character whose role throughout the journey was merely to carry someone on his back.

However, viewed from another perspective, Bai Longma's reward reflects a specific Buddhist value judgment: silent endurance is more difficult than flamboyant achievement. Wukong felt a sense of accomplishment in vanquishing demons—every victory was met with applause; though lazy, Bajie's participation in battles and contributions of strength gave him a sense of presence. But what of Bai Longma? For fourteen years, day after day, he simply walked, unpraised, unnoticed, and unthanked. His contribution was pure "forbearance"—a dragon becoming a horse, a prince becoming a beast of burden, a celestial creature becoming a terrestrial means of transport. This sacrifice brought no external reward; his only support was the knowledge that he was doing the right thing.

Bai Longma's title also completes a narrative loop: he transformed from a "dragon" into a "horse," and then from a "horse" back into a "dragon"—but not as the disgraced, criminal crown prince he once was, but as a Heavenly Dragon who had attained the fruit of a Bodhisattva. The sin of burning the pearls was cleansed through fourteen years of asceticism; he completed his cultivation through silence and endurance. If Wukong's cultivation was "subduing the heart" (taming the Mind Monkey), Bajie's was "severing desire" (abstaining from greed), and Sha Wujing's was "enduring insult" (bearing grievances), then Bai Longma's cultivation was "self-sacrifice"—relinquishing the dignity of a dragon, accepting the humiliation of a horse, and completing the longest journey in the lowliest posture.

Related Characters

• Tang Sanzang — The master carried by Bai Longma; they spent fourteen years together day and night, yet had almost no communication.
• Guanyin — Pleaded with the Jade Emperor to spare Bai Longma from the death penalty, arranged for him to wait for the pilgrims at Eagle-Sorrow Gorge, and personally transformed him into a white horse.
• Sun Wukong — Fought Bai Longma at Eagle-Sorrow Gorge before becoming his companion on the pilgrimage; in Chapter 30, Bai Longma suggested that Bajie go invite Wukong to return.
• Zhu Bajie — A fellow pilgrim; in Chapter 30, he followed Bai Longma's suggestion to go to Flower-Fruit Mountain to bring back Wukong.
• Sha Wujing — A fellow pilgrim.
• West Sea Dragon King Ao Run — Bai Longma's father, who reported him to the Heavenly Palace after his son burned the pearls.
• Rulai Buddha — Consecrated Bai Longma as the "Eight-Legion Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva of Vast Power" upon the completion of the pilgrimage.
• Jade Emperor — Originally sentenced Bai Longma to death, but changed the sentence to awaiting the pilgrimage after Guanyin's plea.